Humanin
Mitochondrial-derived peptide. 24-amino-acid peptide encoded by the 16S rRNA gene of mitochondrial DNA. Neuroprotective, cytoprotective, and metabolic regulator. Levels decline with age and in metabolic disease. Sibling peptide to [MOTS-C](/compounds/peptides/mots-c).
Overview
Mitochondrial-derived peptide. 24-amino-acid peptide encoded by the 16S rRNA gene of mitochondrial DNA. Neuroprotective, cytoprotective, and metabolic regulator. Levels decline with age and in metabolic disease. Sibling peptide to [MOTS-C](/compounds/peptides/mots-c).
May improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. May protect neurons from amyloid-beta and oxidative stress (preclinical Alzheimer's models). May reduce apoptosis in cardiomyocytes and beta cells. Minimal direct impact on standard blood markers, hormones, lipids, or haematology at studied doses. No completed human clinical trials.
Compound Guide
Structure: 24-amino-acid peptide encoded by the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. One of several mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs) discovered in the early 2000s during research on Alzheimer's neuroprotection. Related MDPs include MOTS-C and the SHLP family (SHLP-1 through SHLP-6).
Common analogs:
- Native Humanin (HN): Original 24-aa sequence, short half-life
- HNG (S14G-Humanin): Single amino acid substitution (Ser→Gly at position 14), ~1000x more potent than native, longer half-life
- AGA-(C8R)-HNG17: Truncated, even more potent in some neuroprotective assays
Dosage:
- Native Humanin SubQ: 2-10mg/day (limited published data)
- HNG analog SubQ: 0.5-2mg/day, 3-5x/week
- Cycle: 4-8 weeks; longer-term safety unknown
- No standardised human dosing — all protocols are extrapolated from rodent studies and anecdotal vendor recommendations
Administration:
- SubQ injection with 27-30g insulin syringe
- Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water
- Store reconstituted vial refrigerated, use within 30 days
- Some protocols use intranasal administration for CNS-targeted effects (poorly characterised in humans)
Key Notes:
- Acts as a "retrograde signal" from mitochondria to nucleus, modulating apoptosis, metabolism, and stress response
- Binds the formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) and a heterotrimeric receptor complex including CNTFR/WSX-1/gp130
- Protects pancreatic beta cells from glucose/lipid toxicity — potential application in type 2 diabetes
- Cardioprotective in ischemia-reperfusion injury models
- Strong preclinical data in Alzheimer's models (protects neurons from amyloid-beta toxicity), but no completed human trials
- Levels in plasma decline with age; lower in patients with type 2 diabetes, mitochondrial disease, and Alzheimer's
- Synergises with MOTS-C and SS-31 for comprehensive mitochondrial support
- Bodybuilding relevance: largely speculative — proposed for metabolic health on GH/insulin protocols, recovery from oxidative training stress, longevity stacking
- ZERO completed human clinical trials. ZERO long-term safety data
- Vendor purity highly variable; this is a niche research peptide
- Monitor: fasting glucose, HbA1c, fasting insulin, lipid panel; no direct humanin assay in routine bloodwork
Usage History
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Reference
Category
Peptide
Half-Life
~30 minutes (native humanin); HNG analog ~hours; SHLP analogs vary
Detection Time
N/A